Some types of IMDs provide therapeutic electrical stimulation to tissue of a patient via electrodes of one or more implantable leads. Examples of such IMDs include implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter-defibrillators, and implantable pulse generators used to deliver neurostimulation therapies. In some examples, an IMD may deliver electrical stimulation to the tissue via electrodes of implantable leads in the form of pacing stimulation, cardioversion stimulation, defibrillation stimulation, or cardiac resynchronization stimulation. In some cases, electrodes carried by the implantable leads may be used to sense one or more physiological signals to monitor the condition of a patient and/or to control delivery of therapeutic electrical stimulation based on the sensed signals.
Typically, a clinician uses a programming device, e.g., a clinician programmer, to program aspects of the operation of an IMD after it has been implanted within a patient. Programming devices are computing devices capable of communicating with IMDs through patient body tissue via device telemetry. To facilitate communication with an IMD, a programming device may be coupled to a telemetry head that is placed on the surface of the patient at a position proximate to location of the IMD within the patient.
IMDs may provide a variety of therapy delivery and/or patient monitoring modes, which may be selected and configured by the clinician during a programming session or by a patient during therapy sessions, i.e., the time periods in-between programming sessions. During a programming session, the clinician may select values for a variety of programmable parameters, threshold values, or the like, that control aspects the delivery of therapy. The clinician may also specify patient-selectable therapy and or sensing parameters for therapy sessions.